The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth participated in the 2017 Veterans For Peace National Convention in Chicago August 11th, 2017. Veterans and allies gathered to discuss "Education Not Militarization". NNOMY presented a Mini Plenary workshop with the theme, Education Not Militarization: The Nuts and Bolts of Pursuing Policy Changes to Counter Recruitment and Demilitarize Schools. NNOMY also conducted the workshop, Education Not Militarization: Educating students and countering military recruitment inside the schools, with multiple presenters. (See HERE for more details)
Below are links to slideshows used for two presentations at the 2017 National Veterans for Peace Convention held in Chicago. They cover two different organizing approaches:
- Gaining access to schools and things you can do at the individual school level.
- Campaigning for policies to limit military recruitment and militaristic programs in schools.
Information in the slideshows is based on many years of first-hand experience and research compiled by organizations in the NNOMY network. The content is designed to go with more details provided by live presenters. Links are included to resources where many of those details can be found.
- Educating Students and Countering Military Recruitment Inside Schools: Suggested approaches for gaining access to schools and ideas for activities once inside
This workshop focuses on what you can do to reach and educate students at the individual school level. Tactics discussed include leafleting, career fairs, peace clubs, tabling, speakers’ bureaus, peace camps and ither ideas.
- The Nuts and Bolts of Pursuing Policy Changes to Counter Recruitment and Demilitarize Schools
Are you troubled by frequent recruiter visits, ASVAB testing or JROTC in your schools? Are you having difficulty gaining equal school access to counter military recruiting? This workshop covers ways that activists have successfully approached these problems at the policy level. It’s been done in some of the largest school districts in the country (e.g., NY City, L.A., Chicago, San Diego), and at the state level in some cases. The policy approach is another powerful tool that can be useful for having an impact beyond individual school visits. The presentation reviews successful methods as well as some of the challenges organizers have encountered.
Additional Links:
- NNOMY at the 2017 VFP Education Not Militarization Convention in Chicago
- Facebook NNOMY Workshop event announcement
- Photo Documentation of NNOMY 2017 VFP Workshop, plenary, sponsored breakfast, and tabling
- VFP Education Not Militarization webpage
- 2017 Convention - Education Not Militarization - Opening Plenary Video (YouTube)
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Revised 9/28/2025
